Jay Richards at AEI: Christian Values and Capitalism

AEI Event: "Can Christians Be Capitalists? A Conversation about Faith and Free Enterprise" September 30, 2009 http://www.aei.org/event/100139

Is it possible that market-based solutions are the key to ending poverty, providing health care and education, and raising the standard of living for all? At this event, Jay W. Richards, author of Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism is the Solution and Not the Problem (HarperOne, 2009) will lead a discussion of the way in which the free enterprise system can be used to meet the biblical mandates to alleviate poverty, care for the sick, and steward our environmental resources. This is the second event of a new initiative of the American Enterprise Institute to engage young people in a conversation about the relationship between the free enterprise system and values.

Jay W. Richards has served in leadership positions at the Discovery Institute and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, and is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. His most recent book "Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem" seeks to explain the market economy to people who don't like economics, and defend it against its religious critics.

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[jackchorn]

It does seem that capitalism goes against the sermon on the mount. You obviously have gone to great lengths to justify capitalism and you may not harm anyone in your goal toward making wealth, but this certainly is the minority in the system. There is always the possibility that there are choices beyond economic philosophies that havn't been applied because the nature of humans prevents better possibilities. In the end this darwinistic view lends itself to capitalistic greed benefiting the few.

[crusty7208]

Acts puts this whole christian communism issue to bed nice & snug I think...compare Marx "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" with Acts "Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need." Is there any clearer evidence? Thats rights the 3 c's collectivism communism & christianity all the same to me.

[Keith P]

Youve been watching too much Fox News. They keep saying how taxes are "stealing" and thus breaking the 10 commandments. Maybe you should check out Matthew 17, where Jesus told His followers to pay taxes. Unless Jesus advocates breaking the 10 commandments, apparently Jesus didn't think taxes were stealing.

Also, interestingly, the taxes that Jesus commanded His followers to pay was to Rome. Rome was Pagan, anti-Christian, and the biggest government in world history.

[Andrew Morrison]

@bweber88: Actually, the driving motor of capitalism, or economic freedom under the rule of law, is the implication of the commandments "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou shalt not covet", both of which imply that God intends that people own things, and that they be protected by law to keep them and use them for the benefit of themselves and others. Can you demonstrate how coveting is what drives capitalism?

[scurniachiatta]

It's funny how so-called Christian's who ascribe to the common biblical philosophy that man is born into sin and that we're are imperfect by nature would support a capitalist social system when capitalism is so easily corruptible. To me the socialist doctrine is closer to what Jesus had in mind then capitalism ever did.

[Bradley Weber]

Did you ever realize that the very essence and driving motor of capitalism is a direct violation of one of the 10 commandments? Thou shalt not covet. Coveting is what drives capitalism no question. It amuses me that christians pontificate about this being a christian country, and then at the same time deride socialism and prop up capitalism.

[conzar]

When you are delusional, you can rationalise anything.

In reality, Capitalism is responsible for social stratification in the USA. Few people have most of the money. 12% of the USA population is in poverty. This can be corrected by changing our society and ridding ourselves of money and adopting a Resource Based Economy.

[Seyoumeye Dracula]

The school of thought that promotes wealth accumulation for prosperity is coming to a dead end...maybe the CRISIS was a forerunner to extinction?